Seattle Press on Line - Thornton Creek Habitat Threatened by Development

Shoreline family sues city

Thornton Creek Habitat Threatened by Development

Mar 07, 2001 -- A Shoreline family has gone to court to try to stop destruction of the buffer zone along Thornton Creek, caused by construction of a nursing home overlooking the creek.

"My neighborhood is living the reason why the salmon are in danger," says Patty Crawford, who lives in the Twin Ponds area. "While so much time, money and effort is spent trying to restore salmon populations, the city of Shoreline has granted massive exemptions to out-of-state developers to build in the buffer of Thornton Creek, a salmon stream," she says.

The project site is 14900 and 15200 1st Ave. NE in Shoreline, and the developer is Aegis/Assisted Living from Sonoma County in California. Jim and Patty Crawford expect their Superior Court suit to be heard in April.

"Over 900 feet of stream buffer has been destroyed," Crawford said, "and a large part of the site has been cleared and graded. Large conifer trees have been pulled out by the roots and thousands of yards of ancient peat soil have been dug up and sold off-site."

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has asked the city of Shoreline to halt construction and stabilize the site to prevent further erosion. In a letter to Shoreline Mayor Scott Jepsen, Douglas Hennick, Area Habitat Biologist, argued that "[t]he city erroneously classified the aquatic features on the site. City staff recognized the Thornton Creek is a salmonid stream as it enters Peverly Pond and as it leaves Peverly Pond, but [they say] that the creek does not exist where it flows through Peverly Pond."

A 100-foot buffer is required by law on salmonid streams, but Shoreline has permitted the developer to clear and grade within 10 feet of the pond, Hennick said.

Shoreline city officials refused to comment on the issue.

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